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Chairman McCaul to Lead Congressional Trip to the Southwest Border

Washington, D.C. – U.S. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) will lead a group of Members to San Diego, Tucson and the Rio Grande Valley of Texas to examine border security operations August 3-6. Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, Michael J. Fischer, will accompany Members on the trip.

Border Site Visit Summary: The Congressional border trip is an opportunity for Members to talk with experts on the ground including Border Patrol and Coast Guard officials and local citizens about efforts to secure the border. Members will be briefed on operations in the San Diego, Tucson and the Rio Grande Valley sectors to examine what assets work, and where, in the diverse Southwest terrain, as well as what more must be done to achieve operational control.

· The California portion of the trip will include demonstrations on tunnel detection technology, aerial and ground tours of terrain and border security infrastructure and maritime port security operations.

· The Arizona portion of the trip will include briefings and demonstrations on unmanned aerial systems and an aerial tour of the border to view integrated fixed towers, fence line and check points.

· The Texas portion of trip, a region which has recently seen a dramatic spike in illegal crossings, will include meetings with local leaders, Rio Grande river tours, and aerial tours of the border terrain.

Chairman McCaul: “As the House nears a vote on H.R. 1417, the Border Security Results Act, which demands a national border security strategy, operational control and real accountability, it is important for Members to see the Southwest border terrain and security technology first-hand. As we have witnessed this year, increased enforcement in Arizona has pushed illegal border crossings into Texas. We cannot continue the Administration’s ad hoc approach of patching holes only to see illegal immigration shift instead of stop, and we can’t continue to throw money at the problem without an idea of what is necessary to bridge gaps in security. This trip will demonstrate how much still needs to be accomplished, and what tools can help get us there.”